Near-bed velocity measurements in Monterey Bay during arrival of the 2010 Chile Tsunami

On February 27, 2010, a tsunami originating near Chile arrived in Monterey Bay, California. This data release comprises two hours of pressure and near-bed velocity data spanning the largest tsunami waves. At the time, the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center had a remotely-controlled instrumented platform deployed adjacent to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf (mean depth 9 m) for collecting hydrodynamic and sediment transport data. In anticipation of the arrival of the tsunami, sampling was changed to better capture the event. Pressure and near-bed velocity profiles were measured at 1 Hz for 25 minutes every half hour. The velocities are influenced by surface waves, tsunami waves, and tidal currents. The velocity profiles capture the unsteady boundary layer that developed due to the tsunami-induced currents. They are useful for understanding the frictional interaction of the tsunami with the sea floor, as well as sediment transport produced by the tsunami.